Apple updated its iMac all-in-one computer line on Tuesday, adding faster quad-core processors, its FaceTime HD video chat, faster graphics cards and Intel's new Thunderbolt high-speed connector technology.

The starting price to an iMac is staying the same -- $1,199.

Apple says that with the new Intel processors, the refreshed iMacs are up to 70% faster than the previous generation lineup and perform up to three times faster in graphics ability, due to new, speedier AMD Radeon HD graphics processors.

The iMac update brings quad-core Intel processors across the lineup -- previously a dual-core chip was an option.

Thunderbolt, a connector technology developed by Intel with some help from Apple, is capable of transferring data at a rate of 10 gigabits per second -- much faster than USB 2.0 transfers of about 480 megabits per second.

Thunderbolt can also be used to connect computers to external monitors and transfer data at the same time, all with a single cable, as well as "daisy chain" by connecting to multiple devices at once, through one port.

As it did with the MacBook Pro when the laptop line gained the new faster connector ports, Thunderbolt will replace Apple's mini-display port on the back of the new iMacs.

Available screen sizes for the iMac are also staying the same, with the computer being offered in a 21.5-inch screen size (which gets one Thunderbolt port) or a larger 27-inch display (which will be equipped with two Thunderbolt ports).

Apple is also adding a high-definition video camera to its iMacs, sitting just above the screen, which can be used with the company's FaceTime video chat software, which runs on the iPad 2, iPhone 4, iPod Touch and camera-equipped and Intel-based Mac computers. 

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-- Nathan Olivarez-Giles

Twitter.com/nateog

Image: Apple iMac computer. Credit: Apple

Intel is getting into the tablet business with a new line of its Atom processors called the Z670 series.

The microchip giant announced the new processors Monday and said the Atom Z670 chips would make their way into tablets and other portable devices by the end of next month.

So far, companies such as Asus, Fujitsu and Lenovo have signed on to build devices using the new processors. Intel said the Z760 line would offer "increased battery life, enhanced performance especially around video, and several other new features" and be ideal for use in "mobile clinical assistants, ruggedized industrial tablets and portable point-of-sale systems."

Among the first devices to run using a Z670 processor will be the Asus EeePad Slider, which has a 10.1-inch touch screen and a slide-out keyboard; a new tablet from Evolve that will run on Windows 7; and the upcoming Lenovo Ideapad Slate tablet.

The Samsung Series 7 tablet, announced at CES in Las Vegas in January (and which also features a slide-out keyboard) will also run on a 1.66-GHz Z670 processor and Windows 7.

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-- Nathan Olivarez-Giles

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Image: The Asus EeePad Slider. Credit: Intel / Asus

Oracle is stopping development of all of its software on Intel's Itanium software processor after concluding that "Itanium is nearing the end of its life."

Starting something of a furor online, the move, announced late Tuesday, directly contradicts recent pronouncements from Intel about its commitment to the Itanium processor family used in high-performance computing systems and found in a large number of customers' data centers.

"After multiple conversations with Intel senior management Oracle has decided to discontinue all software development on the Intel Itanium microprocessor," Oracle said in a statement. "Intel management made it clear that their strategic focus is on their x86 microprocessor and that Itanium was nearing the end of its life."

"Both Microsoft and Red Hat have already stopped developing software for Itanium," Oracle's statement continues. "HP CEO Leo Apotheker made no mention of Itanium in his long and detailed presentation on the future strategic direction of HP."

Red Hat first pulled out of Itanium in 2009 after saying that its Enterprise Linux 6 operating system, released last summer, would not be supported on Itanium processors. Microsoft announced last April that it too was stopping developing software supported on Itanium.

Oracle's decision affects not only Intel but also Hewlett-Packard, which runs its HP-UX Unix operating system on Itanium Integrity servers.

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People using mobile technology probably have great productivity rates, but their manners are foul, according to a study from chip-making giant Intel Corp. 

Mobile manners are worse now than they were even a year ago, 75% of respondents said. More than 90% said they’d witnessed some sort of misuse of technology –- about five offenses daily.

Just 9% of U.S. adults don’t own at least a cellphone, laptop computer or tablet, leading to an epidemic of “public displays of technology,” according to the study of 2,000 people.

Users are wedded to their devices, with gadget sightings reported on honeymoons, in public restrooms and in movie theaters. Twenty percent admitted to checking mobile gadgets even before they get out of bed in the morning.

Though about two in 10 adults admit to bad mobile behavior themselves, most blamed the etiquette breach on the fact that everyone else was just as guilty, according to data compiled by market research company Ipsos for Intel.

That includes text-and-drive infractions, walk-and-blab incidents and plenty of public loudmouthing. And 24% of people have seen drivers working on laptops while behind the wheel.

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Apple updated its MacBook Pro line of laptops on Thursday with dual or quad core processors, FaceTime HD video chat, faster graphics and the addition of Intel's new high-speed connector technology called Thunderbolt.

Thunderbolt, which had been shown off by Intel for more than a year under the name Light Peak, is supposed to transfer data at a rate of 10 gigabits per second. USB 2.0 transfers data at about 480 megabits per second.

Thunderbolt can also be used to connect computers to external monitors and transfer data at the same time, all with a single cable -- an optical cable.

Intel said a full-length high-definition movie can be transferred in less than 30 seconds and one-year's worth of continuous MP3 music can be downloaded in 10 minutes.

Thunderbolt is replacing Apple's mini-display port on the side of the new MacBook Pros -- though it will still work with those connectors.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro is getting new Intel Core i5 and Core i7 dual-core processors with speeds up of to 2.7 GHz.

Apple's 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pro computers are using only Intel's quad-core Core i7 processors with up to 2.3 GHz in speed and faster AMD Radeon HD graphics processors with up to 1GB of video memory for more intensive uses such as video editing or playing video games.

And all three sizes of MacBook Pro are getting an updated front-facing camera above their screens, dubbed FaceTime HD cameras.

The move officially sweeps Apple's old laptop cameras, known as iSight, out of the company's MacBook Pro line. FaceTime HD adds widescreen video shooting for video chats and photos and is compatible with other Intel-based Macs, the iPhone 4 and the current-generation iPod touch.

[Updated at 9:48 a.m.: The refreshed MacBook Pro line is available for purchase in Apple stores and Apple's online store. The prices for the laptops remain the same, with the 13-inch MacBook Pro starting at $1,199, the 15-inch starting at $1,799 and the 17-inch model starting at $2,499.]

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Images: (Top) New Apple MacBook Pro computers. (Bottom) A view of Intel's Thunderbolt port on an Apple MacBook Pro. Credit: Apple

Will.i.am is joining Intel as its director of creative innovation.

The world's largest computer chip manufacturer announced the music producer and frontman for the Black Eyed Peas will contribute to the company by way of music and input in developing smart phones, tablets and laptops.

In a message on Twitter, Will.i.am said, "Its official. I just became the director of creative innovation for Intel. Every beat I make is made with intel. And now were partners."

Intel announced Tuesday its teaming with Will.i.am, whose real name is William James Adams Jr., in a news event at the Anaheim Convention Center, where the company is holding an internal sales and marketing conference.

At the Anaheim event, Will.i.am showed off an Intel employee badge, the company said in a statement.

The move to bring Will.i.am on as more than simply a spokesman follows in the footsteps of Polaroid, which appointed Lady Gaga its creative director in 2009.

“It's imperative that Intel and our innovations are kept in front of the global youth culture that embraces new devices and new forms of communication and entertainment,” said Deborah Conrad, the Santa Clara-based firm's head of marketing in a statement.

Will.i.am has signed on for a multiyear contract with the company and will be hands-on with technology, Intel said. No other details on the collaboration were offered.

The Black Eyed Peas have won six Grammy Awards and sold more than 29 million records. Will.i.am is also known as a tech fan and the group featured the upcoming BlackBerry PlayBook tablet in its recent music video, "The Time (Dirty Bit)."

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Photos: Will.i.am flashes his Intel employee badge and waves at an Intel event in Anaheim on Tuesday announcing his appointment as director of creative innovation. Credit: Intel